Potter County files charges in fatal car wreck

The Potter County District Attorney's office filed charges of murder and aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury Thursday against a man driving a car that crashed into another car, killing one teen and critically injuring another last week.

Robert Lee McClinton, 23, is charged in connection with a collision that killed Christopher Coppedge, 18, and injured Coury O'Neill, 18.

McClinton is in the Potter County Detention Center on four felony charges and a fifth possible charge from the city of Amarillo, according to jail records.

O'Neill remains in critical condition in Northwest Texas Hospital's intensive care unit. He suffered a fractured pelvis, trauma to the head and a collapsed lung, according to the criminal complaints.

"We pray for Coury O'Neill and his family," said Lewis Coppedge, Christopher Coppedge's father. "We want to honor our son's life and memory. And we have faith that our justice system will work so that this man can never hurt anyone else."

O'Neill is talking, but he's talking like he is 3 or 4 years old, said his stepfather Mike Tomme.

"We are in it for the long haul," Tomme said. "He is not able to sit up on his own or walk."

Authorities charge that on Sept. 30, McClinton grabbed a 13-year old boy at Smiley's Discount, 1009 S. Grand St., held a knife to the teen's throat, and demanded money from the clerk.

McClinton was running from police at more than 70 mph when he ran a red light at Plains Boulevard and Avondale Street where he crashed into Coppedge and O'Neill, according to a complaint filed in the case.

McClinton remains behind bars on charges of aggravated robbery, with bond set at $100,000; aggravated kidnapping with bond set at $250,000; aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, pending arraignment and bond; murder, pending arraignment and bond; and unspecified city charges, according to jail records.

Pat Murphy, an assistant Potter County district attorney, said McClinton does not yet have an attorney.